Re: [Elecraft] Output power being eaten
I think in today’s technology, any amp recommending to run the radio at full power and expecting the ALC to protect the amp is a joke. It may not be fast enough to protect the LDMOS device. SPE America has a history of pointing the finger at the radio having a power overshoot as the cause of LDMOS failures. Why did SPE now come out with a version 3 of the amp which redesigns the LDMOS input to help protect against accidental overdrive.? Why run a radio at full power if you have a radio that can be adjusted to the proper drive level per band? Dave wo2x Sent from my waxed string and tin cans. > On Dec 31, 2021, at 11:51 PM, Bill Frantz wrote: > > After reading all the comments on this thread, I think that Skip, K6DWG and > Bob, K4TAX have the best theory of what happened. Careful reading of the SPE > 1.3K manual indicates that the power output of the amp is sampled between the > amp and the internal tuner and that the recommended tune power is 30W. > > So the idea that the tuner could have gotten into a state where it ate the > output power is at least credible. I would expect a KW dissipated in the > tuner to have damaged it, but fortunately that does not seem to have happened. > > The manual strongly recommends setting the exciter radio (my K3) to maximum > power output and trusting the ALC to set the correct drive power. Many here, > including me, will disagree. However, as a result of this recommendation, the > manuel doesn't really address the drive power issue. > > Please note that the antenna is driven through coax and not open wire or > ladder line, so theories based on those feed lines don't apply. > > Thanks to everyone who replied. This list is a wonderful resource. > > 73 Bill AE6JV > >> On 12/27/21 at 2:48 PM, fra...@pwpconsult.com (Bill Frantz) wrote: >> >> I didn't have a good night in the K1USN Slow Speed Test. I started >> more-or-less on time and tried to answer CQs. None of the stations I tried >> could hear me. My SPE 1.3K amp said I was putting out about a kilowatt, >> although the antenna tuning on my normally low SWR 40M dipole needed to be >> redone. I was receiving many stations, at normal levels. >> >> After a few minutes, I started searching for causes, since operators calling >> CQ weren't hearing me and sending CQ again. Some of these operators had >> worked other stations, so I knew their radios were basically working. I >> tried maybe a half a dozen stations. >> >> Finally, in desperation, I raised the tune power in my K3 exciter to 15W >> and retuned the dipole yet again. Things started working and I managed to >> check into the Elecraft 40M CW net via KD5ONS in OR at 0050z. With only 5 >> minutes in the contest left, I managed QSOs with W6SX and VE5MX. Thanks to >> both of them. >> >> My current theory about what was happening is that ice on the antenna was >> eating transmit power, although receive seemed normal. Does ice seem a >> reasonable explanation? What else could be the cause? I'd love to come up >> with a believable answer. Even more so, avoid the situation in the future. >> >> 73 Bill AE6JV > > --- > Bill Frantz| When all else fails: | Periwinkle > (408)348-7900 | Voice and CW. | 150 Rivermead Rd #235 > www.pwpconsult.com | | Peterborough, NH 03458 > > __ > Elecraft mailing list > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm > Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net > > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net > Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html > Message delivered to rocke...@gmail.com __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] Output power being eaten
After reading all the comments on this thread, I think that Skip, K6DWG and Bob, K4TAX have the best theory of what happened. Careful reading of the SPE 1.3K manual indicates that the power output of the amp is sampled between the amp and the internal tuner and that the recommended tune power is 30W. So the idea that the tuner could have gotten into a state where it ate the output power is at least credible. I would expect a KW dissipated in the tuner to have damaged it, but fortunately that does not seem to have happened. The manual strongly recommends setting the exciter radio (my K3) to maximum power output and trusting the ALC to set the correct drive power. Many here, including me, will disagree. However, as a result of this recommendation, the manuel doesn't really address the drive power issue. Please note that the antenna is driven through coax and not open wire or ladder line, so theories based on those feed lines don't apply. Thanks to everyone who replied. This list is a wonderful resource. 73 Bill AE6JV On 12/27/21 at 2:48 PM, fra...@pwpconsult.com (Bill Frantz) wrote: I didn't have a good night in the K1USN Slow Speed Test. I started more-or-less on time and tried to answer CQs. None of the stations I tried could hear me. My SPE 1.3K amp said I was putting out about a kilowatt, although the antenna tuning on my normally low SWR 40M dipole needed to be redone. I was receiving many stations, at normal levels. After a few minutes, I started searching for causes, since operators calling CQ weren't hearing me and sending CQ again. Some of these operators had worked other stations, so I knew their radios were basically working. I tried maybe a half a dozen stations. Finally, in desperation, I raised the tune power in my K3 exciter to 15W and retuned the dipole yet again. Things started working and I managed to check into the Elecraft 40M CW net via KD5ONS in OR at 0050z. With only 5 minutes in the contest left, I managed QSOs with W6SX and VE5MX. Thanks to both of them. My current theory about what was happening is that ice on the antenna was eating transmit power, although receive seemed normal. Does ice seem a reasonable explanation? What else could be the cause? I'd love to come up with a believable answer. Even more so, avoid the situation in the future. 73 Bill AE6JV --- Bill Frantz| When all else fails: | Periwinkle (408)348-7900 | Voice and CW. | 150 Rivermead Rd #235 www.pwpconsult.com | | Peterborough, NH 03458 __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] [POSSIBLE SPAM] Cleaning Solder Flux, Redux
Depends on what flux was used. The current crop of "no clean" fluxes does not come off well with isopropyl alcohol and leaves a white film on the board. Other fluxes dont have this problem. I use the same stuff we use at work for light rework which is the heavy duty flux remover from MG Chemical. Acetone will eat some types of plastic and should be avoided. Eric KI7LTT On Fri, Dec 31, 2021, 3:03 PM Harlan Sherriff via Elecraft < elecraft@mailman.qth.net> wrote: > I supervised a Metrology lab at a commercial nuclear power plant for 34 > years. We also performed component level repair to “safety related” > equipment. We used isopropanol applied with a stiff “acid” brush (cut the > bristles short). Never had a problem with NRC audits. > That being said, if you ever work on a board that is humidity sealed > (plastic type coating on solder side), be very careful as the alcohol will > loosen the coating and it will do a number on unsealed potentiometers and > switches! > > Harlan > K4HES > > Sent from my iPhone > > > On Dec 31, 2021, at 4:38 PM, Dr. William J. Schmidt > wrote: > > > > Professionals use 91% Isopropanol. You can get it at CVS cheap. > > > > > > Dr. William J. Schmidt - K9HZ J68HZ 8P6HK ZF2HZ PJ4/K9HZ VP5/K9HZ > PJ2/K9HZ > > VP2EHZ > > > > > > > > -Original Message- > > From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net > On > > Behalf Of eda...@aya.yale.edu > > Sent: Friday, December 31, 2021 2:53 PM > > To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net > > Subject: [POSSIBLE SPAM] [Elecraft] Cleaning Solder Flux, Redux > > > > > > > > Is there a consensus among builders of the traditional kits (K1, K2, etc) > > about the best way to remove solder flux from a completed circuit board? > > Some Internet sites recommend acetone, others say isopropyl alcohol. A > few > > tout their own product without saying exactly what it is. I remember > > reading someplace that one or the other of those will clean the flux but > > could also cause damage by being absorbed into components. Yes, I know > this > > is all purely cosmetic but if it can be done safely I'd like to try it on > > the next kit. Suggestions? > > > > > > > > Thanks, > > > > > > > > Ted, KN1CBR > > > > > > > > __ > > Elecraft mailing list > > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft > > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm > > Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net > > > > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net > > Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html > Message > > delivered to b...@wjschmidt.com > > > > > > -- > > This email has been checked for viruses by AVG. > > https://www.avg.com > > > > __ > > Elecraft mailing list > > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft > > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm > > Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net > > > > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net > > Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html > > Message delivered to hsherr...@reagan.com > > __ > Elecraft mailing list > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm > Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net > > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net > Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html > Message delivered to garn...@gmail.com __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
[Elecraft] Need a mentor
I am aging out of making a radio work by making many settings on the K3. I am considering to buy a Genovation Keypad for CW, RTTY, FT8 mode settings and others such a band and other settings on the K3. I need a mentor who is willing to guide me. In return,I will sponsor you as a member of the BIG Radio Club, upstairs. :) 73, Lou KE1F __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] [POSSIBLE SPAM] Cleaning Solder Flux, Redux
I supervised a Metrology lab at a commercial nuclear power plant for 34 years. We also performed component level repair to “safety related” equipment. We used isopropanol applied with a stiff “acid” brush (cut the bristles short). Never had a problem with NRC audits. That being said, if you ever work on a board that is humidity sealed (plastic type coating on solder side), be very careful as the alcohol will loosen the coating and it will do a number on unsealed potentiometers and switches! Harlan K4HES Sent from my iPhone > On Dec 31, 2021, at 4:38 PM, Dr. William J. Schmidt > wrote: > > Professionals use 91% Isopropanol. You can get it at CVS cheap. > > > Dr. William J. Schmidt - K9HZ J68HZ 8P6HK ZF2HZ PJ4/K9HZ VP5/K9HZ PJ2/K9HZ > VP2EHZ > > > > -Original Message- > From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net On > Behalf Of eda...@aya.yale.edu > Sent: Friday, December 31, 2021 2:53 PM > To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net > Subject: [POSSIBLE SPAM] [Elecraft] Cleaning Solder Flux, Redux > > > > Is there a consensus among builders of the traditional kits (K1, K2, etc) > about the best way to remove solder flux from a completed circuit board? > Some Internet sites recommend acetone, others say isopropyl alcohol. A few > tout their own product without saying exactly what it is. I remember > reading someplace that one or the other of those will clean the flux but > could also cause damage by being absorbed into components. Yes, I know this > is all purely cosmetic but if it can be done safely I'd like to try it on > the next kit. Suggestions? > > > > Thanks, > > > > Ted, KN1CBR > > > > __ > Elecraft mailing list > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm > Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net > > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net > Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message > delivered to b...@wjschmidt.com > > > -- > This email has been checked for viruses by AVG. > https://www.avg.com > > __ > Elecraft mailing list > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm > Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net > > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net > Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html > Message delivered to hsherr...@reagan.com __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] Output power being eaten
On 12/31/2021 2:35 PM, Al Lorona wrote: I think N7WS has shown that when that window transmission line gets wet, its loss goes way up. Yes. Excellent lab-quality experimental work done many years ago. It's in one of the ARRL Compendiums of technical papers. He set up runs, got them wet, and measured loss. 73, Jim K9YC __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] Output power being eaten
Happy New Year, I think N7WS has shown that when that window transmission line gets wet, its loss goes way up. So some of the change you are seeing in rain/snow conditions could be due to this higher loss. Al W6LX/4 > > My experience with antenna's changing due to moisture is with my > balanced center fed wire which uses window line for the feed. It > accumulates moisture, frost, rain, snow, and ice. The change I do see > is due to the velocity change of the balanced feed. My measurements of > a couple of years back indicated the length of the line changed > electrically thus a velocity factor change. Any loss, wet or dry, under > matched conditions was not measurable over a length of 100 ft on 20M. > Therefore, I would expect the mis-matched loss to be about as the book > say. Again, either wet or dry. > > 73 > > Bob, K4TAX > __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] [POSSIBLE SPAM] Cleaning Solder Flux, Redux
Professionals use 91% Isopropanol. You can get it at CVS cheap. Dr. William J. Schmidt - K9HZ J68HZ 8P6HK ZF2HZ PJ4/K9HZ VP5/K9HZ PJ2/K9HZ VP2EHZ -Original Message- From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net On Behalf Of eda...@aya.yale.edu Sent: Friday, December 31, 2021 2:53 PM To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net Subject: [POSSIBLE SPAM] [Elecraft] Cleaning Solder Flux, Redux Is there a consensus among builders of the traditional kits (K1, K2, etc) about the best way to remove solder flux from a completed circuit board? Some Internet sites recommend acetone, others say isopropyl alcohol. A few tout their own product without saying exactly what it is. I remember reading someplace that one or the other of those will clean the flux but could also cause damage by being absorbed into components. Yes, I know this is all purely cosmetic but if it can be done safely I'd like to try it on the next kit. Suggestions? Thanks, Ted, KN1CBR __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to b...@wjschmidt.com -- This email has been checked for viruses by AVG. https://www.avg.com __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
[Elecraft] Cleaning Solder Flux, Redux
Is there a consensus among builders of the traditional kits (K1, K2, etc) about the best way to remove solder flux from a completed circuit board? Some Internet sites recommend acetone, others say isopropyl alcohol. A few tout their own product without saying exactly what it is. I remember reading someplace that one or the other of those will clean the flux but could also cause damage by being absorbed into components. Yes, I know this is all purely cosmetic but if it can be done safely I'd like to try it on the next kit. Suggestions? Thanks, Ted, KN1CBR __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
[Elecraft] Problem solved - KX3 - Low sensitivity on 12M band
Iforgot about the attenuator and that it's set per band! Time to get better acquainted with my KX3. ;-) Thanks again to all who helped out and Happy New Year! Bert VE3NR On 2021-12-30 20:37, Bert wrote: After putting up a new antenna for the WARC bands, I noticed that the signals on the 12M band on the KX3 seemed kind of muted and decided to check the sensitivity with the signal generator. Pre-amp on the KX3 was set to 20 dB for S9 with a signal of -73 dBm on all bands. All bands seem to be OK except 12M where a signal of -63 dBm was needed to get S9 on the S-meter. Any ideas or suggestions? Thanks! 73 Bert VE3NR __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
[Elecraft] FS: KRX3A
Up for sale is a KRX3A partially assembled kit which never made into my K3s which I still own. The sub RX contains all parts which are included in the kit as per installation manual parts list inventory. This sub has the new KSYN3A synthesizer and set of following Inrad roofing filters: 8 pole 2.8 Khz 8 pole 400 Hz 8 pole 250 Hz $800 shipped in VE and CONUS. 73 Nick VE3EY __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
